Fox and Wolverine Director Darren Aronofsky Enter Two-Year Deal

Fox Filmed Entertainment has signed Darren Aronofsky and his production company Protozoa Pictures to a new two-year, overall deal, it was announced today. Under the deal, Protozoa will develop and produce films for both Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Aronofsky’s debut picture under the pact will be The Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman. Written by Oscar-winner Christopher McQuarrie, the film is scheduled to begin production in April next year.

The deal solidifies Fox’s relationship with Aronofsky, whose recent films  this fall’s critically acclaimed psychological thriller, Black Swan, was produced and distributed by Fox Searchlight, which also distributed Aronofsky’s 2008 award-winning film The Wrestler. Black Swan opened this years Venice Film Festival, and has since screened at such major festivals as Telluride, Toronto and London to great acclaim. The film arrives in theaters beginning December 3rd.

“Darren’s vision has brought audiences some of the most original and memorable stories and characters in recent motion picture history,” said Fox Searchlight heads, Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley. “We at Fox witnessed this first hand with his work on ‘The Wrestler,’ and ‘Black Swan,’ and now, on ‘The Wolverine,’ which will be an exciting take on that iconic figure and on the genre itself. We can’t wait to see what else Darren has in store for us.”

Added Emma Watts, president of production, Twentieth Century Fox: “We’re excited Darren is going to bring his unique vision to ‘The Wolverine’ and we take great satisfaction that Fox, irrespective of the size of his films, continues to provide a home for his extraordinary talent.”